All-Star balloting begins today

All-Star balloting begins today at mlb.com and dodgers.com and I’d imagine that Dodger fans would love nothing more than to see our entire outfield voted into the All-Star Game that takes place down in Anaheim this year. It’s in your hands to vote up to 25 times per email address for Dodger fans to help send all deserving Dodger position players to the Midsummer Classic.

On a much more serious and sad note, we want to express our most sincere and heartfelt condolences to the Colorado Rockies and the entire MLB family on the loss of Rockies President Kelly McGregor. What a tragic loss today of one of baseball’s top executives and, by all accounts, a great human being.

And there’s no real way to segue to the next topic, so here’s tonight’s lineup in Cincinnati…

Furcal, SS

Kemp, CF

Ethier, RF

Manny, LF

Loney, 1B

Blake, 3B

DeWitt, 2B

Martin, C

Billingsley, P

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160 Comments

32 &53fan ~ On FB, I’m Jane Moe.
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Would love to see Andre and Matt in the All-Star Game they deserved it last year, and, hopefully the fans will make it happen this time.
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Heard about McGregor this morning and am sending my prayers to his family.

I have a feeling this will turn out to be a much better road trip than the first one. Go seven Billz.
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I mistook the player on crzblue’s Facebook page for Steve Yeager. Actually it was Roy Gleason who was briefly on the Dodgers in 1963. Gleason was a hot prospect back then but had his career ended in 1967 due to injuries received in Vietnam. He was reported to be the only major league player who served in that war. Check out the similarities of these two at http://yfrog.com/jnsteveyeageremmaroygleasj
A nice article about Roy Gleason is at http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/article_adcbe841-d405-53c8-b571-2038371b276f.html
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ITDers, what are your Facebook names?

I saw that Nelly. They said that he can serve the suspension during his DL stint. I thought that was strange.
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Ironic that Manny was the last MLB’er to get suspended and they are going to Cincy where Volquez currently plays.
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Did Wally say he was going to any of the games?

I thought that was strange too Collie. Kind of funny that A-Rod got to do the same thing……….serve his suspension on the DL.

We never heard from Wally if he was going to any of the games or not. I am sure if he does, he will check in with us eventually. Hopefully, he will have a good time and be treated nice since he is a visiting fan.

Hello ITD.
My condolecnes to the family of President Kelly McGregor.
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As you all know I am a season ticket holder and I have never had a bad experience at Dodger Stadium. I missed a total of four games last year and about the same the year before because of business trip.
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I have been to games with Giant fans, Padre fans and Angel fans and Cardinal fans. I have been to games with people that I take for their first time. All have told me what a wonderful experience they had.
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the new addtion of fans that are sitting to my left _seats 9&10 (I have seats 11&12) are happy that they got their tickets there in aisle 3 Top Deck. They gave their tickets to two friends for Saturday’s game and Mary told me on Sunday that the young couple said “They seem to know each other there, is like family. We have actually formed a group on facebook this year. We had our first get together after the win on Sunday.
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I have sat with groups in the field level, loge, reserved and even the pavilion if that is what they want to experience.
Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com

OBF!
You are so welcome!
Hey are you going to any of the games with the Dodgers next week?
I was reading Mike of the trolley blog that he and other Mets fans want Bobby Valentine as a manager.
Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com

Not looking good. Bills really seems to not be the pitcher we’ve expected. He is really unreliable. He was given a 3 run lead and then can’t make the adjustments in the game when he starts getting hit.
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I’m happy these runs weren’t from walks.
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I’m not happy that the Dodgers have already committed another error and it’s in the 2nd inning. If he hadn’t thrown that ball away the game would still be tied.
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That would of been out #1, the next batter k’d for what would of been #2 and the next batter flew to RF for what should of been out #3.
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You win with pitching and defense. Again we are lacking in both.
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The good news is it’s early and they came back from down 3 so why can’t we??!!

Emma — That’s great that you’ve never had any issues with all the games you go to.
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But…I’m blown away that you haven’t seen anything going there that was bad. Because I have every time I’ve gone. I think most others that have been to games have also seen things happen that is not good and I seem to recall you saying so on Opening Day that you saw things that were unpleasant. So I’m confused.
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I for one want to see a change there in the attitude of the fans that cause many not want to go. To turn and look the other way when others are being harmed, intimated, etc… IMO is wrong and I can’t do that.
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I’m sorry if I offend anybody or if I’m annoying Josh but in my heart I feel something needs to be said and changes need to be made for the better. Sometimes addressing things that are unpleasant are well… unpleasant. But if they aren’t addressed they will just get worse.
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I’ve always been a positive blogger on here. Until recently when I’ve seen the other side of things. I’m not going to put on a “everything’s ok here” smile when it isn’t.
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I’m a positive person and don’t like confrontation but I feel I need to speak my mind to promote a positive change. If I get “booted” from ITD so be it. But until then I will make my comments because I think this is an important issue that needs to be addressed right away. Yes I want a winning team, but more importantly is the safety of the fans. If one person is hurt at a game, McCourt should be pissed and work hard at making it so it doesn’t happen again.
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It’s obvious that he isn’t…

I just finished cleaning out my travel trailer so it can be donated to an orphanage in Baja California. Coming up to my bedroom, I flip on the TV and see that it is Dodgers 3 with a graphic covering the rest of the screen. I’m thinking (why I don’t know) it must be 3-0 Dodgers. Then the graphic disappears and I see the Reds have NINE runs!
I keep hoping this one time ace of the future, Billingsley, is going to pan out. Yet he keeps blowing it. Torre knows that pitching is the name of the game but apparently his view didn’t count for much with Ned and Frank. I have a feeling Ned also agrees but doesn’t want to rock the boat with his boss. We need to get a new owner who is not leveraged up to his eyeballs and wealthy enough not to sweat a little negative cash flow.

Hello Tru. Thanks. I love baseball and I want others to love it as well. Anytime kids get beer thrown at them is enough for me. Something needs to be done about it.
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Error #2.
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HR #2.
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Did I mention pitching & defense?

WAY TO GO COLLIE!!!! I for one, want to see you and wifey back at Dodger Stadium some day. So, you keep on saying what you need to say because I am 100% behind you on this issue. When I feel more comfortable at times at AT&T Park wearing Dodger gear than my family feels wearing their Giants gear at Dodger Stadium than something isn’t right. It may not be important to some, but Frank needs to realize if it’s important to one person, it should be important to him.

With this pathetic crew of pitchers I know where this team is going this year – NO WHERE. Finally have an offense, now they can’t pitch or field. FIRE NED – he’s the horse’s asss who can’t put a team together.

I also think its time to face facts that Billz just isn’t that good. HOWEVER, I don’t think he’s THIS bad either, so fire that A-Hole Honeycutt because I don’t see how he’s helping Billz or Kersh. Maybe somebody new could get into Billz’s rather messed up head and find some semblance of a pitcher inside.

Good evening all.
In an earlier thread, it was mentioned that Bills should go back to middle-long relief out of the pen. He did do well in that role before getting a starting job. The thing is, who would step in to replace him? I don’t see anyone worth a hill of frijoles coming out of the pen, or waiting in the wings to do it.

I would leave Bills where he is. It was the 2nd inning he got blasted. He just needs to learn how to change his game plan or adjust during the game if what he’s doing isn’t working. With a young pitcher that’s the coaches job.
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Right Nelly???…

You would think as long as Honeycutt has been the pitching coach he could be more help to Chad. Bills has the tools & talent to do better. I’m thinking more & more it’s a mental thing. Maybe he needs to consult a sports psych for a shrink session.

Well Sparkle then I’d be all for him. They have a young staff and need someone to mentor them that’s for sure. That why I’d (I know everybody will be mad at me for this) be okay with seeing Smoltz in some capacity. He was a starter and a closer so he could help with both aspects. He couldn’t be worse that Haeger. Or could he?

I don’t see why collie thinks he’d get booted for speaking up. Last game I went to at the Stadium had some unpleasantness, but not as bad as some of the videos I’ve seen. Security should really be beefed up. You could sell one of Jaime’s Malibu houses. Then sell the other one and go out and get a pitcher.
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Can Billz really be this bad? Hard to imagine.

Dear Mr. Vice President of Communications Josh,
This blog is becoming almost unusable. Assuming that a post will eventually get submitted, albeit sometimes after a lengthy delay where we don’t know whether or not it took, the so called “time warp” makes it very difficult to follow the conversation. After several days where my time is about an hour ahead like most people here, it is now about right which inserts my post before about 10 others that I have already read. Unless someone scrolls back two or three pages, they will never see a post with the right time such as my last one.
For a few minutes, please stop your duties which support the marketing department and get on the horn with a top executive of MLB Advanced Media to get this thing fixed. It can’t be that hard to add extra servers to balance the load or to tune up the database. If you have been monitoring this blog, you know how frustrated we fans are.

Knouff — I don’t think necessarily that I’d get booted. Let’s just say that my point was that I’m not always going to say how great everything is when it isn’t, just so people like what I have to say.
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I also would love to work for the Dodgers. But I want what’s best for the Dodgers and their fans. If that ruffles feathers or makes some not like me than so be it.

1. You’ve got an owner that all he cares about is fleecing the fans to get enough money to support his, and up until recently, his wife’s lifestyle. He doesn’t give a ratsass about security for fear he’ll lose that almighty beer dollar. He won’t (or can’t because he’s so leveraged) spend any money on the team, nor will he replenish the farm, which he’s raped so that he doesn’t have to pay a PVL’s salary. He raises ticket prices at a time when the economy for most people is getting harder and harder to make ends meet. He forces you to buy a 14 or 7 game ticket plans if you want to see the Yankees. Yup, he’s da man.

2. You have an incompetant GM who after 4 seasons still doesn’t know the first thing about talent and what it takes to build a winner. But he is a brown noser to the owner so he gets his contract extended.

3. You’ve got a field manager that has all the life and personality of a turnip, and is one of the worst in-game tacticians I’ve ever seen.

That about cover it? This franchise is dead from the neck up, and unless the fans start hitting back in ownership’s only vulnerable spot – his pocketbook, nothing is ever going to change. He counts on the lemming effect and to his credit, so far he’s been right.

Ned’s supposed to be a judge of talent.
Ned’s supposed to find at least passable ballplayers even on a budget. (Ref. Beane, Billy.)
Ned’s supposed to not sign FAs he knows are hurt, fat, overrated or aged.
Ned’s supposed to fire incompetent coaches.
Ned’s supposed to keep the farm system stocked.
Ned’s supposed to put together creative offers and deals to obtain some real talent.
Ned’s supposed to know his team and farm system inside and out so he can deal from a position of strength.
Ned’s supposed to not squander millions upon millions of dollars.

In short, Ned’s supposed to be everything he isn’t.
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It isn’t a case of what CAN he do, its more of a case of what DOES he do?

Thanks for the correction on who dropped the ball Shad.
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My point is that the ball was dropped by a player wearing the jersey that has “Los Angeles” on it. Way to many of those. I’m sick of seeing these errors for this team. It is ugly baseball.

The stuff that’s killing us is what should have been worked out during spring training for cryin’ out loud! The rundowns, the defense, the pitchers being prepared for the season . . . when does it end???

Errors by pitcher and the stuff chad threw, geez just beat yourself. then our boys mount a comeback, a hefty one at that, only to lose. There isn’t a word in English that quite describes this, So just “crap” will have to suffice. Things will be better tomorrow?

No disrespect meant to you, Emma, but if you have never personally had a bad experience at Dodger Stadium after attending all those games it’s because you’re covered in Dodger Blue. And if you’ve never seen anything bad happen to someone wearing gear from a visiting team you are either very, very lucky or you’re looking the other way ….. a lot. I understand that you are a tremendous Dodger fan – one of the most dedicated I know of – and when you read things that are negative, it hurts. You regard the Dodgers as your family, but so do those of us who DO see these things and want them to stop.

******JOSH******

I join collie and northstate and junie and everyone else that is mentioning (and CONTINUING TO MENTION) the need, no, the absolute necessity of halting the ruination of the Dodger Stadium fan experience.

It just is not that difficult to identify and deal with these miscreants. It just takes some courage and willingness to do what’s right. Unfortunately, a dozen jackassses in a crowd of 45,000 will really stand out.

Yes, you’ll find these persons everywhere. At every ballpark. At every football stadium. At every soccer stadium. They feel entitled to do whatever they want because their whole thing is intimidation. Tough guys have been around for a long time, but what is new to the game (IMHO) is lack of respect.

I was raised to respect other people’s feelings. I was raised to respect their rights as human beings. So were most of the people my age. However, that seems to be a dying trait. These criminals not only don’t care about anyone’s rights, but they actually get enjoyment from getting under people’s skin, getting into profane screaming matches, and in some cases giving them a beat-down. They don’t care who is around to hear and see these terrible scenes, don’t care about tramatizing a child.

I have always enjoyed a good-natured back-and-forth bantering between myself and a fan from the other team. I used to say that every single time I went to the Stadium I would find myself sitting next to one of their fans. But it was always done with a smile and nothing was ever done to hurt or challenge anyone’s manhood. I think the best time I ever had doing that was when I was fortunate enough to be sitting in the left field pavilion when Bobby Welch struck out Reggie Jackson. There was a Yankee fan on the other side of the isle and we went at each other all game long. When it was over and the place was rockin’ in celebration, we shook hands and exchanged smiles and wished each other well.

It’s called class. He had it. I had it. I’ve done the same thing when I go to DogFoodPark in my Dodger gear and have fun with Padre fans around me. I have yet to have a bad experience there, but then I’ve only been to a half-dozen games so far.

So, Josh, what do we do? Simple. Go back to the Rat Pack thread and read Junie’s post on April 17th @ 9:56PM. That was immeadiately followed by northstate and we were off and running into the wee hours. Collie had some great suggestions.

I’m becoming interested in the silence. I figure that you’re working on it and am waiting for some answers from above. At least I hope that’s it. I hope that we’re not being ignored, because sticking your head in the sand is what is propagating this problem. I can promise you that I’ll continue to mention it and I’ve definitely got the feeling that there’s no give-up in collie or north either.

And it’s a crying shame that such great fans as Collie and Wifey are AFRAID to attend a game in our wonderfully beautiful and historic grand Dodger Stadium.

A – Bunny hop in the pea-patch
B – Hand in the cookie jar
C – Mustard off the hot dog
D – Game is in the refrigerator
E – Got another one?

Personally I always laughed when he said “He did the bunny hop in the pea patch”, but I guess my favorite was when he put the game in the ‘fridge, especially when he started adding all the other things to it, the jello is jigglin’, the butter is getting hard, etc.

Eric — Great post! You made some great points about class and the fun bantering. I’ve also had that experience with fans up here where we walk away laughing with each other.
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Thanks for always having great things to say in a classy way. I for one definitely appreciate your posts!
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I’m also hoping the silence is due to some work being done to really realize that something needs to be done and they are getting an action plan together to make Dodger Stadium a place that is a happy & fun place to go.

Good Evening ITD readers and writers!!! As I am typing this, I am getting an earful from our local news about Billz’ implosion, Matt’s 3-run jack, only to lose the game – blah!!!. The only saving grace up here is that the gnats lost 1-0, and they are now tied for first with the Padres. The Dbacks beat the Cards. Craziness in this division right now.

Eric, my favorite Chick-ism is E – the popcorn machine. I became a Laker fan in 1965 or 66 after Gail Goodrich spoke at my high school; he graduated from Poly 4 or 5 years earlier before attending UCLA and then signing with the Lakers. I really loved Chick and had the opportunity to meet him briefly once before a game. What a neat guy!

Collie and Eric,
When I was sent an email about my experience at Dodger Stadium, I mentioned in there that I thought the head of security should have gone after my friend Eric and I following us making sure we turn our hand bags inside out so that the words I had “Hilda is Here!” And his “This IS the year!” would not show.
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I do not turn the other way if I see something. I have the number that they flash on the screen on my phone just in case but I had not had to use it. I’ve been with fans in their Giant gear, in their Padre, Cardinal gear and they were treated well. Maybe is because I knew the people around.
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We are having a third get together from another forum. The last one we had was when the Giants were in town. We had Giants fans around us and we picked on each other but it was in a friendly rivalry way.
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What I saw on Opening Day was this woman throwing up in the bathroom because she overdid it drinking. They had to close that section and her boyfriend went to get her.
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I’ve been to San Francisco often for games but the last game there I was turned off by the security not doing anything about Giant fans. At Dodger Stadium, security comes to us and asked us right away if someone is bothering us. There was this fan from the Padres that was being very loud and rude. Right away a security came to me and asked me if he was bothering me. When you get to see the people that work around us day and day out at the stadium, they know us and take care of us.
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I am sorry guys, but I have never felt threaten at Dodger Stadium. When my brother does not want to go, I go alone for a night game or a day game and I park outside. The same thing with my friend Lorena, sometimes her second ticket only gets used to put her bag there. My friend Jeanie in the same section who has season tickets and lives in Rancho Cucamonga comes by herself and parks outside. She parks in what I call LorenaVille. Lore calls where I park “El Valle de Crzblue”.
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Before the shuttle, I used to walk to Sunset and take the bus to Downtown and then another one home. If anyone reads my blog, you read Erik was a host in my blog where he wanted to write how we met and how he met Lore because of public transportation. Erik and I took the shuttle bus on that game that went passed midnight and then a bus back to where I leae my car for my daily commute to work.
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I read about the yutube video in the Reserved on Opening Day but no, I was not anywhere close to that. Is very unfortunate that that happened. Fans start to drink too early on Opening Day. I can tell you that this year I have not had a drink at Dodger Stadium. I am not a beer drinker. I do prefer a mix drink and do enjoy one every once in a while at the stadium.
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Of all the stadiums I have visited, I have felt more threaten at San Francisco and at Angel Stadium. I have not been back to either place since 2008 because of that.
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At the end of the Rat Pak thread I had posted something too just in case anyone wants to read it.http://insidethedodgers.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/04/rat_pack_2010_style.html
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Anyway, I am frustrated with Billingsley’s performance. I’d like to ring his ears and asked what the hell is going on with him!’
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OBF and True,
I hope the boys in Blue play better when you go see them.

Brian,
that is good that you are donatin the trailer to the orphanage. You made me remember my friend Ramona. She passed away two years ago with Cancer. She and her husband always used to got to Tijuana, load up their van with clothes and food and go donate it to the orphanages there.
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Not sure if I mentioned this but the night that the game went past midnight and we took the last shuttle to Union Station, we had to wait a long time for a bus to take me to the ELMO station wher I leave my car. We passed by “La Placita” to take a local bus since we had missed the one that goes on the freeway. Anyway, on both sides of the narrow street of La Placita (Olvera Street) church, there were homeless sleeping there wrapped in their blankets or sleeping bags. Just bodies after bodies. I know I see it from the train and I also see it in downtown but late at night you see more bodies and where they sleep. Is ashamed that we don’t have more sleeping quarters. This morning as I waited for a bus, there was this woman with her shopping cart and her hair undescribable from not being washed in who know how long. If they asked me for money I give them a couple of dollars. Is when they don’t ask that I don’t know what to do.

Nine runs should be enough to beat anybody, but spotty pitching, and three errors and a great effort from Blake, Kemp, etc. and it’s out the window. As they say out here “this aint gonna git it!” Maybe Honeycutt should just kick Billingsley in the butt and see if that helps. Ask him how he likes those sunsets in New Mexico.

The team ERA is 5.55. They’re 13th in a 16 team league. They have 1 save, and they’ve given up so many 3-run jacks that I’ve lost count.

You can’t fire the entire pitching staff, but you sure can fire the pitching coach that has done NOTHING to help Billz and Kersh further ther development. Billz is now a basket case and Kersh still throws a bazillion pitches. Where’s the coaching?

Can Honeycutt’s a** and hire someone else. If the new guy can’t show some improvement in a month, then can the mustacio’d man that put the staff together. We finally have a team that looks like it can consistantly put some runs on the board, and they might only win 50% of the time they score 7+.

You hit the nail on the head Bear – the improvements are all in the money making areas – more concession stands, raising ticket prices while reducing payroll, not spending money on security for fear you’ll lose the hoodlum dollars on $10 beer…

Good afternoon everyone???.
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This is just my opinion , mind you??
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Does anyone know how, J-Mac is faring in AAA so far??
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It just seems to me that if you are going to trot out a hope and a prayer to the mound every night, in trying to salvage a game. It should be someone that has had some success as of late. J-Mac has shown flashes of excellence the last two seasons in the bull-pen.
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On Billingsley, I missed his performance last night?.however from the previous outing when he was struggling he couldn?t establish the outside of the plate?.some of that looked to be from an umpire squeezing the zone on him. He needs to get that respect back?.Also the opposing batters were not chasing, the off speed stuff out off the plate?forcing him to come in and then, he was out over the middle and up in the wheelhouse?. With out that outer part of the plate, he is going to struggle?JMO!!
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Last season at this juncture in the season our pitchers?..mainly our relief corps, had much better movement and location. This year they seem a little flat?.which once again makes them vulnerable to a big league batsman?.Is this due to the fact that we are trying to avoid injury, or is it because the pitching coaches are just lame?..could be I don?t know what I am talking about?..although, I know this is what I have seen.
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The Pitching staff as a whole?The Team as a whole?.The Management as a whole need to get it together and soon?or we will struggle to maintain our sense of respect as The Team To Beat!!!!
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In saying this Lets Go Out And Win Today, Tomorrow and every chance we get?No Wasted Opportunities!!!!
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GO DODGERS!!!!!!!!!!!
BRING THE RING TO THE RAVI

It’s been said here before, many times and it’s been said elsewhere many times…….move the batter back…..or at least plant that seed in his mind, by throwing inside. Sure there will be some retaliation…..That’s just the way things are….when you get tough, and we need to get tough!!!

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